Gamers and NIMBYism Pt. 5b: Women, Gamers, and Social Opportunities

NIMBY is an acronym for the phrase "Not In My Backyard". The term normally describes opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development or project close to them.

The same term can be applied to any area, even virtual locations, or group when those who gather there are opposed to things they believe can create disruptions or damage if allowed to enter their communities. These people are not opposed to progress or other people...until they have to deal with them themselves. People who have this attitude are often called "nimbies". The term was coined in 1980 by Emilie Travel Livezey; ironic, considering the NIMBY problem concerns the attitudes a segment of gamers have towards women in gaming and the gaming community.

The prevailing attitude among many of these gamers is "We want you to appreciate gaming; we want you to respect us as gamers; and we want you to enjoying gaming like we do...as long as you fit our definition of a gamer and respect the boundaries we decide to set." By no means is this the only rationale behind this type of behavior, but people following this line of reasoning do exist; many providing female gamers the most severe forms of harassment.